This application is related to the field of electrical audio signal processing devices, specifically to audio reverberators.
Audio reverberation devices (reverbs) were originally designed to simulate the rich sound produced by concert hall or other acoustically pleasant environments. Today, reverbs are used to add sonic texture and richness to vocals, acoustic instruments, and electronic music producing devices. Reverbs are typically used in audio production for music, film, and video.
Before the advent of modern digital processing hardware and software, early reverbs were either acoustic or electro-mechanical. For example, large suspended metal plates, often as large as 1 m×3 m and weighing as much as 300 kg were used create a pleasant and somewhat realistic reverberant field. These are known as plate reverbs. While often less realistic, suspended metal springs where used to create an economical reverb device. These are known as string reverbs. Alternatively, acoustic chambers where constructed in an attempt to create a rich sounding and realistic reverberant field. These included a dedicated room with a set of speakers to project sound into the room and one or more microphones to pickup the resultant reverberant field. These devices are referred to as an acoustic reverb chamber.
Modern reverbs generally use digital signal processing algorithms to create the reverberation effect. The algorithm used to produce the reverberation effect can reside in a standalone audio processing device. Alternatively, it can be implemented in software for use within a personal computer. In either case, modern reverb algorithms are often capable of producing realistic simulations of various concert halls and other rooms, classical spring and plate reverbs, as well as imaginary spaces.
In spite of the advantages of digital reverberation devices described in the previous paragraph, classic electro-acoustic reverberation devices, such as plate reverbs or acoustic chambers, are often valued for the sound they produce and classical electro-acoustic reverberations devices are often prized over modern digital reverberation devices. However, one of the disadvantages of classic electro-acoustic reverberation devices is their physical size, which often is large. This limits their use.